When's the last time you went outdoors to play on a Friday night? And we mean really play -- as in giggling, laughing, imagining and creating?

If it's been a while, you might want to join the Urban Conga happening in downtown Tampa from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday at the parking lot at Twigg and Florida streets. It's free and open to the public.

Not just a line of people dancing in the street, the Urban Conga is an effort by a group of local artists, designers and creators who look for dead spaces in the city and try to liven them up through interactive installations and play time.

Expect lights, choreographed movement, things that spin or move and plenty of unusual sights at Friday's event, which is actually a kickoff for a cross-country tour by the group. They hope to make stops in Tallahassee, New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Ciudad, N.M., Tucson, Las Vegas and Los Angeles before flying home. (They're still seeking donations to help fund the trip at theurbanconga.com.)

The creators behind the project include Ryan Swanson, a University of South Florida master's student studying architecture; Mark Perrett, a designer with USF ties; Amalia Bamis, who is working on her architecture master's thesis (Get Felt!); Brennen Huller, another USF master's student in architecture; and Michael-Angelo Munoz.